Israel's 26th Knesset Swears In Amidst Political Maneuvering

The Knesset building is abuzz with final preparations for the swearing-in ceremony of the 26th Knesset members and its festive opening session. The 120 elected officials, accompanied by their families, arrived early Tuesday, adorned with celebratory flowers and heading for official photo sessions. The Knesset's visitor center is also experiencing unique activity with the introduction of two new robots, "Mr. Weil" and "Mrs. Sha'agal," who are greeting the incoming lawmakers.

A particularly moving moment is anticipated when Avi Harosh, father of fallen soldier Rif Harosh, will recite Psalm 122 from the podium. The ceremony will feature historical clips of Israel's Declaration of Independence, narrated by David Ben-Gurion, and the children's choir "Perach Ashkelon" will perform the national anthem.

The central ceremony on the Knesset plaza is scheduled for 3:20 PM, attended by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and President Yitzhak Herzog. The President will arrive with an escort of motorcycles and horsemen, and the Knesset Guard will perform a ceremonial march with trumpet fanfares from the IDF orchestra. Following the raising of the presidential flag and review of the honor guard, President Herzog will lay a wreath at the memorial for fallen soldiers and victims of hostility. He will then proceed to the Knesset Speaker's office to sign the Presidents' book and offer his blessings to the new legislators.

The peak of the event will occur at 4:00 PM when Knesset Secretary Dan Marzouk announces the President's arrival. After President Herzog opens the session with traditional gavel strikes and his opening speech, he will hand over the proceedings to Speaker Ohana. Each of the 120 members will then take the oath of allegiance.

Following the plenum session, a traditional photo of party leaders will take place in the Sha'gal Hall, with remarks from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Knesset Speaker. Singer Harel Skaat will perform, and the event will conclude with a festive toast for the new Knesset.

Meanwhile, political negotiations are intensifying. President Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the 'Yashar' party, with forming the government on Sunday, after he received recommendations from 67 Knesset members. Eisenkot has 28 days to form a government, with a deadline of December 6, 2026.

Eisenkot and Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, agreed that the next Knesset Speaker position will go to a member of the 'Yashar' party, deviating from Lieberman's initial demand for Yair Lapid. Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties have presented their demands, focusing on a temporary one-to-one-and-a-half-year exemption from full military conscription, freezing general conscription, canceling arrest warrants for draft dodgers, and avoiding economic sanctions. Their unique demand is legal "pre-ruling" from Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the Legal Advisor to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Miri Frankel-Shor, to defend their arrangement in the High Court of Justice. Haredi sources denied rumors of passive abstention regarding a minority government, stating, "If they want our votes, they should come for direct negotiations."